The Thiruvadigai Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated at Gedilam which is about 3 kilometres from the town of Panruti

Panruti

Panruti is a town, municipality and taluk headquarters in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Panruti lies between Cuddalore and Villupuram.-Geography:Panruti is located at . It has an average elevation of 32 metres...

. Viruttaliswarar is the presiding deity.

History

The Thiruvadigai Temple was originally built as a Jain temple by the Pallava

Pallava

The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...

 king Mahendravarman I

Mahendravarman I

Mahendravarman I was a Pallava king who ruled the Northern regions of what forms present-day Tamil Nadu in India in the early 7th century. He was the son of Simhavishnu, who defeated the Kalabhras and re-established the Pallava kingdom....

 in the 6th century AD. However, on his conversion from Jainism

Jainism

Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...

 to Hinduism

Hinduism

Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

, Mahendravarman demolished the existing temple and built a Shiva temple in its place. There are a few Jain artifacts as evidence of this legend.

There is also another Shiva temple and a Vishnu

Vishnu

Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

temple nearby believed to have been constructed from the remains of the demolished Jain temple.